The Potawatomi Hotel & Casino was the place to be Tuesday as more than 1,150 Milwaukee-area business executives packed the casino's ballroom to celebrate the success of the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corp. on its 30th anniversary. Check out the attached slideshow to see photos from the event.

Leslie Montemurro of MojoFuco Restaurants was one of the three Milwaukee-area business owners who talked about the impact WWBIC had on their business.

Montemurro and her partner Scott Johnson founded and currently operate Fuel Cafe, Comet Coffee Shop, Hi Hat Lounge & Garage and Balzac Wine Bar, and are co-owners of BelAir Cantinas with Kristyn Eitel and Fink's Tavern. She has used WWBIC loans several times to help grow her business and now employs more than 1,000 workers.

"We would not have had the success or the growth we have been able to achieve without WWBIC," she said.

Also talking about their growth success due to WWBIC were Ugo Nwagbaraocha, owner of Diamond Disc International, and Kate Hill of Dakonte Product Group and Heartland Information Research.

Diamond Disc International recently purchased an industrial facility on Milwaukee’s far northwest side and is aiming to create 20 to 30 jobs over the next two to three years following the move. The company currently employs nine people.

Also at the event, dubbed "Make an investment in impact,” WWBIC president Wendy Baumann recognized others who had helped the agency during its three decades of work. She said WWBIC had loaned more than $60 million during the time.

The keynote speaker was Mary Houghton, co-founder of ShoreBank, the largest and oldest community bank, which is based in Chicago.